Selvedge printing machine for printing trade-marks on cloth and the like



Jan. 9, 1934.

G. DURRA AL 1,942,749 SELVEDGE PRINT ING MA N OR PRINTING TRADE-MARKS ON CLOTH AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 8, 1932 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELVEDGE PRINTING MACHINE FOR PRINT- lNG TRADE-MARKS ON CLOTH AND THE LIKE Application October 8, 1932, Serial No. 636,833, and in Great Britain October 31, 1931 Claims.

This invention relates to and consists of a selvedge printing or stamping machine for impressing trade-marks or other matter on the selvedge of cloth at regular intervals. The in- 5 vention is intended mainly but not exclusively for use as an attachment to a folding or plaiting machine in which there is a pause in the movement of the fabric at regular periods, i. e., at each fold, of which pause advantage is taken so as to effect the desired printing or stamping whilst the fabric is stationary.

The main object of the invention is to provide a simple construction of selvedge printer which can be readily connected to any reciprocating part of the folding or plaiting machine and which will continue to operate without attention. A further object is to provide means for varying the matter printed and/or the interval at which it is printed.

According to one feature of the invention the selvedge printing machine has a type-holding plate and a type-inking roller, and is characterized by reciprocating means for connecting to the folding, etc., machine, which in one direction of its movement allows or causes the said plate to move clear of the fabric while causing the roller to move over the plate, and which in the other direction of its movement allows or causes the roller to move clear of the plate whilst causing the type to be pressed against the fabric.

According to another feature of the invention, the type holder has two, three, four or more printing faces and is made rotatable so as to present any one of such faces to the fabric to be printed. One means for rotating it comprises a pawl pivoted to the machine frame and lying in the path of a ratchet wheel or like connected to. the type holder, the arrangement in each case being such that a new printing face is brought into printing position with every upand-down movement of the holder. Stops are provided on the machine frame, to prevent rotation of the type holder, when in the uppermost and lowermost positions.

In one form the invention comprises a plate to hold the type or stamp and movable towards and away from the fabric to be printed, an inking roller adapted to be moved over and away from the said plate, a pivoted arm carrying the inking roller, and a reciprocating member adapted to be coupled to and operated by a part of the folding, etc., machine, and in one direction of its movement to engage the pivoted arm and move the inking roller over the type or stamp, and the other direction of its movement to press the type or stamp against the fabric. The plate and roller may be moved from their respective operative positions by springs, the reciprocating means only providing positive movement into the operative positions.

The invention also comprises the specific constructional embodiments herein described and illustrated.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two forms of selvedge printing machine made according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a machine for printing one type only, at a fixed interval, shown in the act of inking the printing plate.

Fig. 2 is a like view to Fig. l, but showing the machine in the act of printing the fabric.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a type holder adapted to carry four sets of type to be-used consecutively, and

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same and the adjacent parts of the machine frame.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a frame at having a base plate a over which the selvedge to be printed passes. Pivotally mounted on a stud b is a plate b adapted to reso ceive and hold the type or stamp an impression of which is to be marked on the selvedge, and such plate b is drawn to the raised position by a tension spring 0 acting between a pin 0 on the frame a and a lug b on the plate b. Slidable in bosses d on the frame a and with its lower end resting on the plate b is a rod 6.

Pivotally mounted at f to the upper part of the frame a is a cranked lever having a long arm 9 and a short arm h, the end of the short arm lying over the upper end of the slidable rod e, and being fitted with an adjustable stop 2. Also fitted to the end of the arm h is a hook 7 from which and a hook 7' on the frame it extends a further tension spring y. A further adjustable stop 2' on the frame a serves to limit the movement of the cranked lever under the influence of the spring y.

To the end of the long arm g of the lever is mounted a bell-crank 7c, one limb of which carries the inking roller Z, and the other limb of which by contacting with the lug g on the arm 9 under the influence of the spring m, serves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the roller Z.

An ink or colour trough n with feed roller 0 is carried from the frame a as shown. The feed roller may be covered with felt, flannel, rubber or other suitable material, or may be left uncovered, for carrying a supply of ink, and will be driven from any suitable part of the folding, etc., ma-.

chine, or otherwise. If desired a further roller or a doctor may be provided to remove surplus ink or colour from the feed roller.

Between the upper end of the rod e and the adjustable stop i extends one end of a bar p which is a part of or is connected to the folding, etc., machine, and which has a constant reciprocating motion as long as the folding machine is in operation.

The operation of this form of the device is as follows:-Assuming the bar 19 is mid-way of its stroke, its end will be just clear of the top of the rod e and of the stop 2'; the printing plate b will be in the raised position; and the inking roller will be lying against the rotating feed roller. As the bar p moves upwardly it meets the stop 2' and rotates the crank lever about the pivot 1 against the resistance of spring a, and the inking roller is thereby carried beneath and in contact with the type face. As the plate 22 is at an acute and varying angle to the arm g, the bell-crank lever is is rotated on its spindle, the spring m serving to keep the roller against the type. As the rod 10 makes its return journey, the parts resume their original position, and as the rod continues its downward movement the rod 8 pushes the plate I) downwards against the resistance of spring 0 on to the fabric which lies on the base plate a If desired a cushion device may .be provided in the rod e or between it and the plate b.

In a modification the rod e and the arm h may be positively connected together, say by a pin and slot connection, and either of them provided with means for connection to a reciprocating part of the machine. In this construction the spring 9' could be dispensed with, and if also the rod 6 were hingedly connected to the plate b, the spring 0 could also be dispensed with.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the pivoted arm which carries the type holding plate b is shortened, and has projecting from its end a fixed stud or spindle q held in position by a set screw q Rotatably mounted on such stud, and in eifect constituting the remainder of the lever, is a four-sided type holder 1, having four guide channels into which rubber or other dies 1' or type may be placed and held. At the end of the type holder r, next the lever is a four-toothed ratchet Wheel s, and next to that is a square plate t the corners of which lie opposite the spaces between the ratchet teeth. Pivoted to an angle plate or bracket u carried by the frame a and adjacent the ratchet wheel s is a pawl u which in one position obstructs and therefore rotates the ratchet wheel as the lever is moved downwards, but is moved about its pivot out of the path of the ratchet wheel s when the lever moves upwards. Further, plates u, v, secured to the machine frame a lie alongside the square plate t on the lever when in the top and bottom positions respectively, and hold the type against rotation when in such positions. The upper plate 1) is backed of or relieved at the lower part to ensure that it will not contact with the corner of the square plate t and rotate the type in the reverse direction as the lever moves upward. When the lever is moving downwards, the pawl u engages one of the ratchet teeth and rotates the type holder a part way, whereupon a corner of the plate it engages the plate 12 which functions as a further tooth to rotate the type holder the remainder of the required distance.

A screw a: passing through the main web of the machine frame serves to lift the pawl 21,1 out of the path of the ratchet s, when rotation of the type is not required.

The type holders are retained on their spindle by a collar 9/ fixed to the latter at its end. The number of teeth on the wheel 3 and the number of sides on the plate 15 will agree with the number of sides on the type holder.

The normal operation of this form of the machine, with four type faces in the holder 1", is with each face supplied with a die, when the machine will print at intervals of say every yard, the type holder rotating once in four yards. By removing the dies from two diametrically opposite faces of the type holder, the machine will print at intervals of every two yards, and by removing three of the dies, will print at intervals of every four yards. The dies may be all the same, or may differ, so as to give either a constant or a varied impression. By removing the said pawl from out of the path of the ratchet wheel, the same type face is presented to the fabric at each operation of the machine.

In some cases the type holder may be arranged to rotate on its upward movement instead of on its downward movement.

What we claim is:

1. A selvedge printing or stamping machine comprising a type holding plate movable towards and away from the fabric to be printed, an inking roller movable over and away from the type holding plate, a lever member carrying the inking roller, a bell-crank carrying such lever member, a sliding rod for moving the type holding plate on to the fabric, and a reciprocating member adapted in one direction of its movement to engage one arm of the bell-crank and move the inking roller over the type, and in the other direction of its movement to engage the rod and press the type against the fabric, as set forth.

2. A selvedge printing or stamping machine for use in fabric folding and like machines as herein referred to, comprising a frame, a type-holding plate pivotally mounted thereon and normally influenced out of the printing position by a spring, a pivoted lever also mounted on the frame and carrying at one end a yieldably mounted inking roller normally influenced out of the inking position by a spring, a sliding rod for moving the type holding plate on to the fabric and reciprocating means between the sliding rod and the "1 other end of the pivoted lever, adapted to be connected to a reciprocating part of the fabric folding or like machine and alternately to move the plate into the printing position and the roller into the inking position, as set forth.

3. A selvedge printing or stamping machine comprising a frame with a base plate, a typeholding plate pivotally mounted on the frame to face the base plate, and a spring to draw it away from the base plate, a lever arm also pivotally mounted on the frame above the base plate, and a rod slidably mounted in the frame to move between the type-holding plate and one end of the lever arm, a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted at the other end of the lever arm and carrying an inking roller movable away from the lever arm under the control of a spring, a further spring to hold the inking roller out of the path of the typ holding plate, and means for coupling the lever arm and sliding rod to a reciprocating part of the fabric folding or like machine, as set forth.

4. A selvedge printing or stamping machine, according to claim 1, characterized by a rotatable type-holder having more than one printing face,

and ratchet means on the type-holder and a fixed part of the machine to rotate the type-holder and to move consecutive printing faces into printing position with each operation of the machine.

5. A selvedge printing or stamping machine according to claim 2, characterized by a foursided type-holder rotatable on a stud carried in a pivoted lever, each side of the type-holder hav- 

